A second chance - miraculous fanfic
by Xoie
Summary: It just takes a second for fate to play its game. Will marinette be able to be the ladybug she is seen in the eyes of paris, or will tradegy get the best of her luck?Is there an identity reveal? Read to find out ;)... this is an adrienette and ladynoir kind of fic.
1. Chapter 1 & 2

A second chance

"In which our sweet Marinette learns to love what she has…"

1

"Here you are m'lady."

Chat purred as he gave me the deep purple coloured, wrinkled, paper ball.

"Ah, aren't you on top of your game today? So is this what your 'diversion' was for?" I said sweetly. I tore the piece of paper and out came a beautiful black butterfly with hints of deep purple splotches here and there. It's such a pity that a beautiful critter like this can cause so much damage. I reach for my Magic yoyo which is safely secured on my right hip. I spin it on to the side, until only a halo of red light is given off it. I reach and throw it toward the butterfly and capture it. I slide my finger across and tap the now screen-like top of my yoyo. It opens and out comes a beautiful white butterfly.

"No more evil doings for you little akuma."

I look to chat; he passes me the red with black pock-a-dotted beach towel. It sometimes amazes me of how well we know each other without even…well, knowing each other. I throw the towel in the air and shout "Miraculous ladybug!"

Immediately the beach towel turns into gobs of pink and red flower pedals which-like magic- rush toward all the damage done by the akuma and fix everything. It's breath taking, really; everything going back to normal within seconds. This time the damage isn't all that bad. Just a few cars tipped over here and there, a couple broken street lamps and that's about it. No civilian was hurt during our battle, that's always a plus in my book.

The crowd around us begins to cheer. A swarm of media anchors begin making their way towards us from the crowd. Among them I spot my best friend Alya; obviously coming over to get an interview for the lady blog. My train of thought quickly disappears when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to find chat with one arm out stretched, his hand in a closed fist.

"Pound it?" he croons.

I extend my arm as well, bumping fists. It's our thing.

"Leaving so soon kitty? What's the rush, you usually stick around until _I_ have to bolt."

He smirks, trying to hide his ever growing blush. I giggle, thinking how my words have that big of an effect on him.

"Well you see, I'd love to stick around bugaboo, but there's places this cat needs to be." And with a wink he's off.

Well at least one of us is spared from hungry news teams and their raging questions. I turn around when I hear a familiar voice call my name. My _other_ name. The name which people call out either in a form of a plea for help or with joy and gratitude. A name which people use when I'm the other me. The heroine of Paris-

"Ladybug!" Alya shouts.

"Ladybug! Ladybug! Can you tell us any difficulties you and chat noir had while fighting the popalizer?"

"well we-"

"Ladybug! Where is chat noir?" A news reporter asks.

"Yes, has something happened?" Another shouts.

Great. Here we go again. I sigh. That blasted cat's gonna pay for making me answer such childlike questions. I don't want to be rude so I turn towards Alya.

"Well actually, no, we didn't have any trouble fighting him. Chat noir got the akumatized paper ball before he could do some real damage. You should thank him but unfortunately he had to dip early."

Every reporter started to eagerly scribble on their notepads. I just stood there, arms crossed, uneasily shifting my weight from one foot to the other, a smile on my lips.

It was at this moment that I had recalled, thinking, how much I was enjoying the day. What I had yet to do when I'd return home as Marinette. But that train of thought also quickly, came to an end when the ground below our feet began to rumble.

2

I changed my stance, ready for anything. But when I looked around, no one seemed to have noticed the shake. Everyone was preoccupied, indulged within their conversations, retelling the events of the battle, lost in their own worlds. I stood up straight, my posture stiff. Was there even a rumble to begin with? I scan the crowd again for any indication, realization-anything. Nothing.

I pivot to my left and look up toward the building where chat went and disappeared to. I squint and then see a figure atop it; all black, with cat ears, a tail and complete with a bell. I laugh, low enough to only be heard by my ears. That little sneak. He waves to me and I wave back, shaking my head.

I hear my name being called from a childlike voice. I turn around for a second. I don't even get the chance to respond when an explosion goes off.

Screams immerse from the crowd. Everyone's hunched over, cupping their ears. I find myself doing the same. I quickly stand up straight and turn toward where the explosion had come from. My gut sinks, my eyes widen and my breath comes to fast. The very place where my partner once stood a mere second ago is nothing but rubble, up in flames.

" L-ladybug?" The little girl whispers, tugging on my arm. I turn around; I completely forgot she was even there. I squat down to her eye level and try to sooth her with my gentile voice.

"hey, it' going to be ok. Ok? Now, I want you to run to the park and stay as close to the fountain as possible. Do you understand? Take everyone with you, tell them that Ladybug says so. Ok?"

She nods, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. I hug her tight and then tell her to go. She rushes toward the crowd and grabs as many people as she can. They all look back at me and I nod, confirming what she has relayed to them.

I turn around and I'm running. Faster and faster toward the flames, my feet pounding on the pavement _. I won't make it in time. I won't make it in time. I won't_ \- crash! Shrieks and cries envelope my surroundings. Another building, this time the one across from the burning one-gone. Two in a row, this is an akuma.

This is bad. This is very, _very_ bad. _Why_. I try to balance myself as the ground settles down from the violent eruption. Everything was fine a second ago. There was no sign, no indication…no. I'm wrong. The rumble.

As soon as the ground stops shaking I'm back up on my feet, dashing to the smoking buildings. A crowd has already gathered.

"Everyone move! Ladybug is here!"

People look at me. Their faces sunken, eyes glazed with tears. Some of them have ash smeared on their clothes. Their looks says it all. _Help us. Please save us._

My brain is raking telling me to do the same. _Please help them, save them, be their hero, be their savior._ Except I find myself slowing down. Those thoughts are being clogged. They are fading away as an even bigger voice in my mind is being amplified, humming its shriek through my entire body.

 _Find chat noir. He's not dead. He's chat noir. He can't die._

 **And that brings us to the end of our first two toasted flakes. Plz don't kill me. (haha) I am currently writing chapter 3…let's just say that it'll be BOMB af. ;)**


	2. Chapter 3

3

The screams of sirens bring me back to reality. I need to keep it together; freaking out will only make the situation worse. Not that it already is. It's times like these in which I wish I could communicate with Tikki, my kwami. She always knows what to do, what the right decision should be. As I approach the big red trucks I try to calm down my nerves. _Easy there Marinette, slow breathes._

"Did everyone get out safe?"

"We're not sure Ladybug; we're trying to calm the fire so our men can go in and take a look."

I may as well go deaf. I can hear their words, but they mean nothing to me. These are people, families, being burned. And if I don't do something about it, they will – **boom!** The ground violently shakes. I bend over, cupping my ears. At this point, tears are beginning to form in my eyes. My heart clenches, then speeds up double time. I can't do this alone. I need my partner. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I need that damn alley cat.

 _If he's still alive._

Uh oh. _I can't think about that_. Not here, not now, but it's the only thing that seems to be echoing in my head. It's this whisper of doubt that'll splice my focus and get me killed. There's only so much this suit can heal and block out.

I get up and look around. The crowd around me has grown. They all seem to be looking up at the third building, their faces drawn in… shock? Fear? Maybe even both. Things were pretty rough when we battled stormy weather, but they weren't ever this bad.

I swallow, forcing down the lump in my throat. I try to see what their eyes are glued on, but I can't make anything out from this distance. I shuffle my way forward, people seem to notice and make way for me. What triggers me to sprint confirms the dreaded thought in my head. From the third building immerses a squeal so loud and horrid that everyone around me begins to squat down, cupping their ears forcefully, eyes completely shut. I on the other hand am running a marathon towards the monstrous screech. Because atop the third building I see a figure; all black, with cat ears, a tail and complete with a bell, jumping mid-air, blocking a blow to the face. Yup. This is definitely an akuma.

My heart is racing, pumping itself with adrenaline.

 _He's alive._

Relief floods my body and my focus sharpens. With every step I run faster and faster, making my way through the crowd like a fish swimming its way through rapids. A handful of people follow me, most likely filming the chaos of it all.

I keep my eyes fixed on the figure. He's continually jumping, ducking, avoiding …something. _He needs backup._ I can see the struggle, and so can everyone else. As I make it to the building I hear another roar, the strength of the sound waves sends chat noir flying to the other side of the roof. Now that I'm close enough, the building isn't even that tall, maybe five or six stories high. I turn around, taking a quick glance at the crowd of people who have followed me. Among them I spot the last person I'd want to see.

Alya.

She decided to tag along. Pure stupidity. Before I can tell her to leave I hear another yelp. One which sounds ever so familiar. I snap my head back around in time to see chat grab hold of the glowing akuma.

It's bright, red with a halo of orange surrounding it. Its appearance giving out a clear message: stay away, unless you want to burn. Off course that message applies to everyone except for chat. He's reckless enough to gamble with life and that has never scared me until now.

I don't even know I'm screaming until the words come tumbling out of my mouth.

"CHAT!"

He looks down at me for a split second before turning back to the ragging akuma. He wrestles with it, their hands joint, heads bucking each other's from time to time. From afar you could say they're doing the tango without a doubt.

I look around the building trying to find the quickest way to the roof. Going inside will be a death wish. If I could only – yes, there-I'll use the extension cord to reel myself up to the roof. My plan is short lived as the akuma decides that the dance party has gone on far enough. With a roar he yanks chat right off his feet. Chat noir on the other hand has no plan of letting him go. Stupid, stupid cat.

He grabs his baton and thrust it down onto the akuma's head as hard as he can; dead center. And then, complete silence. The screeches and roars all come to an end.

 _Did he knock him out?_

My question is shortly answered, as the akuma began to flare and glow and produced a hum which sent a shiver down my bones.

"What did you do?" was all I remember whispering before the unthinkable took place.

 **Woah, cliff hanger? This won't be the only thing hanging next chapter if you know what I mean ;) Anyways, 42 views?! I seriously never thought I'd get more than 10 (:I) But thank you so much! Stay tuned for more cuz I'm making more toasted flakes as we speak.**


	3. Chapter 4

4

"RUN!"

His voice, strained and rugged booming from the roof top caught me off guard. I've never heard-or seen him so anxiously distressed.

"GET AWAY! RUN AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AND TAKE COVER!"

Everyone begins to move as the akuma glows brighter and brighter. I stand there frozen. My muscles are not responding. And then after what seems like centuries, I finally lift my right leg and take a step forward.

"HURRY UP! GO! GET AWAY!"

He's practically screaming. His voice now torn and filled with eager pleas. Something about it makes my movements sluggish. Not good. I fix my eyes on him and breathe in and take another step forward. Breath out and another. Breathe in and four more paces. Breath out-

"STOP!"

It takes a moment for me to realize that he's talking to me and to my surprise I obey.

"you too Ladybug, get away, NOW!"

He says, his voice rising with panic after every word. It is here where I register his motives, and they are anything but good. I stare at him wide eyed.

 _He's gonna blow. The akuma's gonna blow and he's gonna try to suppress it._

" _No. no you stupid cat don't. You'll be blown to bits –don't! get down from there"_ is what I want to say. What I'm trying to get out of my mouth but the words won't come. They're being blocked by this lump in my throat. My mouth goes dry and all I can do is stare in disbelief as the akuma's glow gets brighter and brighter and my partner just stands there, hands tied with it, pinning it down on the spot.

"Ladybug…please.."

He calls and I can clearly hear the affliction stitched within each letter.

I keep my gaze locked with his, eyes wide, and shake my head ever so slightly, left to right. Sending him a clear message: " _don't do it._ "

He gets it too. He understands what I mean, that I'm pleading for him to stop and get down. His features soften and I see the barest hint of a smile appear across his lips.

He looks at me with those piercing green eyes and mouths the word "sorry" before the akuma goes off.

White.

Piercing pure light spreads across the sky, reaching as far as it can. The ground shakes and white noise amplifies, bouncing off of buildings, getting louder and louder until my ears can't handle it anymore. I'm on one knee crouched down with my hands covering my ears, my jaw clenched and teeth grinding on each other. I don't know how long I sit like this for.

After an eternity I slowly drop my hands and crack open one eye. Everything looks normal, no smoke or fire of any kind. I slowly get up and stand snakingly.

 _Breath Marinette. Breathe._

I pivot to where the akuma was bursting with light a minute ago and stop dead. My heart clenches as it sinks down to my stomach. I should be looking at a scorched building, except there isn't one. If you'd never been to this part of town you could easily say there was never one to begin with. I frantically look around but there isn't anything to look at, no rubble, ash, piece of metal, not even any shards of glass.

A torn sound of a sigh from a female breaks my trance. Muffled sounds of shock and disbelief arise a few seconds later. I turn to see a crowd slowly beginning to form around something. I don't even need to be there to know what it is. I can already picture it in my mind I should be looking around for anyone who didn't make it out in time but I'm not. I'm running. Sprinting towards the small group of bodies huddling around something – around my partner.

I push and shove people to the side, not even caring the slightest of what they'll think. All I know is that I need to get to him. Even though I'm aware of what I'll inevitably see, this small, crazy part of me is hoping – wishing that it will all be ok. That he'll be there, sitting and rubbing his head. That he'll get up as soon as he sees me and make a bad pun about the akuma or cats always landing on all fours.

I finally reach the circle's core, and even though I already knew what to expect my heart stops. It actually stops. Blood flushes out of my face, draining it completely. My body goes numb, my ears tune out and my fingers turn to ice. I forget to breath and feel faint. Chat noir is lying a feet away flat on his back, his hair messy with shards of glass shimmering in the light, his face pale; completely drained of life, eyes closed and lips slightly parted.

I drop to his side, panic pumping through my body. Torn, I look at him, willing him to open his eyes. He's not moving, not breathing, just lying there, broken and motionless. This is not happening, this isn't real. We just defeated the popalizer and hawkmoth hasn't had his fill? I swallow.

 _Where did I go wrong?_

I carefully caress his face, my gloved fingers slowly going over his check, jawline, and chin. I gently place his head onto my lap and pick out the shards of glass in his hair. His right arm seems limp, definitely broken. Like I said, there's only so much these suits can block out and heal. I'm surprised he's still in one piece. I brush my thumb across his lids and notice that a couple droplets of water are on his black mask. I bite my lower lip.

 _Open your eyes. Look at me chaton._

Another droplet falls, joining the few that are already there. The taste of salt fills my mouth and I slowly reach for my check and rub my fingers across it. I'm crying. Ladybug, the heroine of Paris, the defender of all good, the powerful victor is sitting in the middle of a street, crying. I never thought I'd ever be in a situation so dire that I'd actually cry – especially in front of a crowd. Not just for my sake but for theirs as well.

"Ch-chat?"

I barely whisper through my whimpering lips. I stroke my hand through his bushy blonde hair.

"Kitty? Open your eyes, please…"

I'm broken.

"wake up, please…I'm here, I'm right here…you can even call me bugaboo please just wake up."

I gasp and break out into full on sobs, heaving with every breath I take. Tears spilling from my eyes, blurring my vision. The world around me begins to fade. The face of every civilian, their looks of pity, sorrow and surprise of seeing their hero in tears begin to blur. To me they mean nothing. My hold tightens with every cry. I press my forehead onto his.

"Please, kitty, please. WAKE UP!"

I say in between heaves. I want everything to disappear. Everyone around me is caving in, I don't want them here - I want them gone.

"Ok everyone move it! Take a step back, give her some space. Please, she may be ladybug but she has feelings too"

I hear my friend Alya shout.

Alya.

I'm glad she followed me, she always knows what to do.

I shut my eyes, willing my tears to stop but they never do, so I stop pushing myself and let them seep through my closed lids. I feel like I'm the one the akuma blew away. My brain feels numb. I nuzzle my head on his, my mother's words echo through my thoughts, her voice gentil repeating the same words over and over.

 _You don't know what you have till it's gone Marinette. Always keep that in mind._

I never really knew what thses words meant, maybe because I've never really lost anything that meant so much to me, something so precious that I wouldn't be able to live without. I think about it for a while. Does chat really mean this much to me?

 _Yes_.

It isn't my thoughts which answer this question but really my heart without a second to spare. But I love Adrien.

 _At least I havn't lost him._

These words don't bring any comfort. I realise that as much as I need him I also need chat as well. Loosing even one of the two is like an emptiness which can't be filled.

 _Purrrrrrr_

I open my eyes. The crowd is gone, just a couple of by standers trying hard not to look at us. I look up and down the street, keeping my head on his. I see Alya standing a few fet away , her back to us but no cat in sight. Weird.

 _Purrrrrr_

There it is again. I slowly lift my head and see chat's chest rise and fall ever so slightly. My eyes widen and I let out a breathe. A breathe of both disbelif and shock. _He can purr?_

"Chat?"

No response. His chest is still moving though. It is here that I notice his left hand is in a closed fist.

I open his hand and find a deep purple coloured whistle. I look at him, he's broken and bruised but still fighting to live on. I smile. So reckless, so, so reckless.

And then without thinking I do something that I won't say I regret but never thought I'd ever do in a million years. I bend down and kiss him on his cheek.

"Good job kitty."

* * *

 **OK. Wow that just happened ;) sorry for the late upload I know I havn't updated since last year xD (ha ha so not funny I know)… but as you can see this chapter is waaayy too big compared to others. I hope you liked it, tell me what you think in the comments! Anyways, a HUNDRED and forty something views?! Seriously, you guys are scaring me…and from around the world too? Wow. Thankyou! Stay tuned cuz I'm makin more toasted flakes, and purrty (;P) soon there'll be an identity reveal cuz hey season 2 is COMING and boiii we were promised an identity reveal so yeah. Thankyouuuu 3**


	4. Chapter 5

**5**

I pull myself together. _He got the akumatized whistle._ I look back down on him, his face has restored its colour and his hair looks brighter than before. His arm is still limp though. How's that possible?

 _What happened_?

A couple minutes ago he was on the verge of death, or actually, maybe even dead already. My eyes are playing tricks on me, although I'm hoping that isn't the case. I gently press my gloved fingers onto the side of his neck in an attempt to check his pulse. I'm not sure if I'll be able to feel one with my suit on.

 _Bump….bump._

"Okay" I breathe out, so he's not dead.

 _"_ _I guess you'd have to try harder hawkmoth, my kitty is pretty tough."_ I mumble. I clasp my index and middle finger onto my lips. I did _not_ just say that. What has gotten into me?

 _Focus._

I have the whistle, all I have to do is break it but, since I've already used my lucky charm, I won't be able to conjure up another one. And if I purify the akuma without pairing it with a lucky charm, I don't think the damage will be repaired, let alone all the people who got hurt during its rage be healed, although I'm not quite sure about that for certain. I glance down at chat, taking in his state. Nope, I'm not taking any chances.

 _Beep, beep, beep…beep, beep, beep._

The familiar sound of my earrings, signaling the end of the day, breaks my train of thought. They've never annoyed me until now. I've got five minutes tops to ditch the scene and there's no way I'm leaving chat noir here. Dilemmas, dilemmas, everywhere.

I need to find a place where I can transform back into Marinette without being caught, but also a place where I can take chat noir and keep an eye on him until I can transform back into Ladybug and sort things out. My home's too far from here and none of these buildings will do. After that akuma explosion everyone will be snooping around. This leaves me with only one option. A place high enough to conceal my transformation and casual enough for no one to suspect, on top of it all? It's pretty close from my current location and It's my favorite place in all of Paris; the Eiffel tower. _Like hiding in plain sight. Perfect._

 _Beep, beep, beep._

Yikes, only three minutes left. I realize I'm going to need help picking chat up without inflicting more damage than he already has. I look around, analyzing the scene and search for the best solution. It takes me a second to find it, standing a few feet away with her back towards us.

"Alya!" I shout.

She turns around, her face taken aback by my actions. That's right, I'm still ladybug. Ladybug shouldn't know the name of Alya Césair. I slowly stand up.

"It _is_ Alya, right? You're the Lady blogger?" I say to cover my slip up as she makes her way towards me. Her face lights up and her eyes twinkle like stars. Guess I've just made my best friend's dream come true.

"Listen, can I ask you for a favor?"

She blinks at me, her lips in a slight "O" shape. She's tuned out; I wouldn't blame her, her idol just asked her for _her_ help. I wave my hand in front of her eyes to bring her back from the land of dreams. She blinks again and a smile spreads across her face.

"Um, yeah! For sure! Anything for you Ladybug!" She squeals.

"Oh, thank you, I need a little girl power – I point down at chat noir – "I need your help getting him up off the ground, without causing him any more damage off course, think you can help me?"

She looks at me, then down at chat, then back up at me.

"Totally, girl."

I squat down and gently put chat's right arm around my shoulder and Alya does the same with his left. We both work together and slowly but surely, we manage to lift him up. He's limp and heavy. For someone who looks like they only eat once a day, I'm surprised to feel some biceps and weight. I Pull out my yo-yo and thank Alya for her help. I know how badly she wants a picture for the Lady Blog and the way she's holding back because of the current situation, so I promise her an interview, that's the least I can do. She thanks me for the millionth time before running off and turning the corner.

I aim my yo-yo toward the top of the tower. I'm not sure if the string will be long enough. But it's magic, so it should work. I will the yo-yo to reach as far and secure itself on top of the tower, above the deck, onto the railings of the mini patio like place; I'm going to need every shred and ounce of luck for this to work. I throw it as hard as I can and somehow, by obstructing all the laws of physics, it secures itself on the very spot I aimed for. At least I hope it did. I hold my breath as I tug on the string to recoil itself.

 _One, two…three._

I tighten my grip on chat and jump, flying right off my feet, soaring towards the Eiffel tower. It worked. As we reached closer and closer, a familiar " _beep"_ made me gasp, turning my blood cold.

* * *

 **Oh did you think it was over so soon? Nope! Stay tuned cuz the next toasted flake is gonna be uploaded in an hour! ;)**


	5. Chapter 6

**6**

 _I won't make it._

My heart stammers. No, there's absolutely no way I'm falling atop the roof of a building as Marinette Dupain-Chain with an unconscious Chat noir. No way, not happening. I guess it's this mental ultimatum which keeps me transformed for another two whole minutes. Long enough for me to safely reach the mini patio like place and gently lean chat noir onto the tower. Now that I'm here it's actually like a miniature balcony really, a patio would be too big.

With one final beep I'm surrounded by a glow of red and white light, which crawls up my body, de-transforming me. My kwami, Tikki plops out of my earrings looking a bit fatigue. I catch her in my hands as she slumps with her head down.

 _Oh Tikki, you must've gone through a lot by keeping me transformed for so long._

I quickly open my satchell and rummage around for some cookies. I find one big double chocolate chip – Tikki's favorite.

"Here you go! Eat up."

She looks at me and her big blue baby doll eyes twinkle with light, a smile spreads across her cute little face. She gasps and flies up to grab the cookie and begins to nibble on it with delight.

"Thank you, Marinette!" She squeaks.

I look to chat, he's slump against the tower, eyes still closed. I must have made a face because Tikki pipes in.

"It's ok Marinette. Don't worry it will all be ok."

"You really think so Tikki?"

"Off course! Without a doubt. He's ok now thanks to you."

 _Wait, what? Thanks to me?_

What did I do? All I did was cling on to him and cry a flood gate of tears. I didn't do anything.

Tikki studies me for a while.

"Marinette, you do know that it was you who saved him, right?"

I look at her, utterly confused and shake my head.

"Your earrings, didn't you see them glow?"

I reach up and touch them. My earrings were glowing? What I should say is, no I didn't because I was caught up crying like a three year old in the middle of a street with my eyes glued shut, but all I say is a mere "No".

"Oh Marinette!" Tikki sighs.

"What do my earrings have to do with me saving chat noir?" I ask bewildered, curiosity creeping up my spine.

"Let me ask you something. What power does your miraculous grant you?" she says in between bites.

"The power of good luck, creation and light." I say slowly trying to get where she's coming from.

"Ok, and what power does chat noir's miraculous give him? Do you know?"

"um…The power of.." I trail off thinking about what his cataclysm does. It destroys everything it touches so it has to be the power of

"…destruction?" I say questioningly, unsure of my answer. Tikki nods.

"I don't think I've ever really explained to you why you both work as a duo. You see, the ring and the earrings come as a pair. Each is half of a whole, so while one of you may have great power, you can't work without the other. Think of them as Yin and Yang. While one creates the other destroys."

I look at her as she continues, this new piece of knowledge kindling in my head.

"If one controls both these miraculous at the same time they become the ultimate being. That's why it's so important for you to make sure hawkmoth doesn't get his hands on them. The ring and earrings are connected; their powers can flow to the other. That's how you saved him, Marinette. The power of love, your connection to chat noir as your partner sparked the earrings and the ring to react. You exchanged your powers, and since your miraculous has the power of creation, you healed him!

I look at her dumfounded. So chat noir is alive because of me. I don't know what to think of that. I don't get a chance to either.

"Marinette, you need to conjure up another Lucky charm before the akuma comes back."

"But Tikki you just did double time. I don't think you should push yourself."

"Stop worrying about me and worry about those who were affected. If you don't act quickly and the akuma comes back, it will be harder to defeat him. Trust me Marinette, I'm giving you advice. Take it."

Her words are so convincing I begin to have faith in myself.

"Ok. Tikki, Spots on!"

In an instant she's sucked into my earrings and the glowing light of red and white envelopes me again. My pink jeans, white flowered printed, shirt and blue over top is replaced with a red with black pock-a-dotted spandex along with a matching mask and yo-yo.

I throw my yo-yo in the air and shout, "lucky charm!" red clusters of flower pedals fountain out of my yo-yo and out comes a… roll of red with black pock-a-dotted cotton bandage.

" _what am I supposed to do with this?"_ I mumble.

How is this gonna help me find the akuma? I look around and chat's right arm blinks red with black pock-a-dots in my vision.

 _Off course. The bandage isn't for the akuma – it's for chat noir._

I mentally kick myself for being so stupid. I crossover to chat and hunker down on one knee. I inch closer and slowly lift his arm, thankful for the fact that he's unconscious because a moving a broken arm is the most painful thing that someone can experience. I gently wrap it around is arm and secure it as if it was in a cast.

I let go of his arm when he begins to stir in his sleep. Uh-oh, not good, I better use the lucky charm before he wakes up and doubles over in pain. I slowly creep back and throw the remainder of the bandage into the air and shout: "Miraculous Ladybug!"

And instantly it turns into gobs of pink and red flower pedals dashing around the entire city and fixing up all the damage. I can't help but smile as all the buildings begin to build up and appear once again, standing tall. The buildings! The whistle! I completely forgot. I throw the whistle to ground and step on it hard. It cracks and out comes the akuma. I capture and purify it. With a sigh I slouch down and see the last of the flower pedals come soaring across the sky towards us and wrap around chat noir. His bandage disappears and he looks good as new.

I stare at him. He doesn't move. I scoot closer until I'm sitting right across from him. A minute passes. Two minutes, three. He's not waking up. _Why isn't he waking up?_ My heart beat slowly begins to escalate as I reach for him. I shake him from the shoulder.

"Chat?"

He stirs and then slowly cracks open one eye. The name he uses to address me causes me to freeze.

"M-Marinette?"

He opens his other eye, I hold my breath as he studies me closely rubbing both his eyes, looking at me again and blinking a dozen of times.

"Ladybug?!" He breaks out.

I sigh in relief.

"What-what happened? Where are we?" He says consumed with confusion. I laugh and that only increases his confusion even more. I stop to look at him, smiling, tears swelling in my eyes. I lean in and hug him tight. He's taken off guard by my so un-ladybug like gesture. And slowly puts his arms around me.

"M'lady…" he says in a hushed tone.

"You're okay. You're really ok. Silly kitty you scared me to death! Don't ever do something like that again you stupid cat."

I was so consumed with happiness of seeing my partner back to normal that I didn't notice the beeps on both my earrings and his ring, nor did I notice the flash of white , red and green light.

What happened next caught both of us so off guard that we were speech less for a whole two minutes, locked in an embrace, debating whether to let go or to stay like that until our kwamis could transform us again.

I, was also unaware of how my life would completely change after this moment on as the unthinkable took place.

* * *

 **(^u^) I know, I know. Next toasted flake is coming soon…maybe with an epilogue? Thankyou ! Two HUNDRED something views?! You guys are amazing, hopefully you enjoyed reading this fic. Like all good things this will come to an end. I know it's pretty short but tbh I really like it, short and sweet y'know? Stay tuned cuz TRUST me you DO NOT want to miss out on the last toasted flake! ;P 3**


	6. Chapter 7

**7**

I slowly reel myself back, eyes shut, uncertain of what to expect. When I open them, I find myself staring at the last person I thought I'd see.

"A-Adrien?"

"M-Marinette?"

"Chat noir?"

"Ladybug."

"And plagg! Great, nice to meet you."

A little grouchy voice peeped up from below. I look down to see a small cat like creature with piercing green eyes floating beside Adrien. It's completely black and looks adorable.

"s-sorry this um… is Plagg, he's my… uh - "

" - Kwami." I finish for him.

Plagg crosses his arms and squints at me. "So I was right, you are Ladybug after all. You know what kid? You should be thanking her. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be alive right now. She's the one who saved you, gave you a…second chance."

"Huh?" I say taken aback by the idiolect of the little kwami.

"What?" Adrien says his tone filled with confusion.

"Which reminds me, where's Tikki?" The kwami shouts.

"Tikki!" I yelp. I completely forgot about her. Where did she go? I look around frantically and find her on the ground to my right.

" Oh Tikki!" I shout. Her eyes are shut and her mouth is open in a small "O" shape. She looks weak. Really weak, like the way she did when she was sick but ten times worse. There's a small glow of pink light flickering around her.

"Marinette?" she says snakingly.

"Oh Tikki! What happened?" I say, worry consuming me whole.

Plagg shot back before she had the chance to even start "Your lucky charm happened, along with – the kwami groaned – never mind."

"It's ok Plagg, I told her to." Tikki says weakly.

"You what?! You know you can't do that! Oh no. no, no, no. This is bad, this is really bad." The kwami said, panic itching in his tone.

I don't know what's going on. What did Tikki do? Is she low on energy? If that's the case then I should be worried, I don't even have any more cookies left.

"Is she gonna be alright?" I say my tone filled with concern.

"no, she's not." He says flatly. I'm surprised and enraged about how easy going he is about this. I want to give this him a piece of my mind. My kwami is barely able to talk! I open my mouth but shut it as he chimes in.

"Unless…Tikki do you think-"

" - I don't know" Tikki says, her voice barely a whisper now.

I'm confused and worried, my feelings swelling inside of me, bubbling to the top. _What are they talking about?_

"I'll give it a try." The kwami says faithfully. _Give what a try?_ I'm trying to comprehend but I'm falling to do so. At this point I have given up all hope for getting any answers out of him.

"What's going on?" This time it's Adrien who chimes in. His voice sends an uneasy feeling inside of me. What must be going on inside his head? He's probably thinking about how much I lack confidence as Marinette. The worst part is that I can't even run and hide, one, because Tikki is in bad shape and two, because I'm stuck atop the Eiffel tower.

"You!" The kwami points to Adrien with his tiny plush like hands. "Which hand is your ring on again?" He floats over to him and hovers above his lap and tries hard to lift up his right hand.

"Perfect!" He shouts.

"Now hold her hand!" He says in a commanding voice. I feel my cheeks heat up as I stare at the kwami wide eyed. Adrien doesn't move. He sits there motionless. I don't know if it's because he's taken aback by the unusual command the little kwami has made or because he…doesn't want to hold hands with… Marinette.

"Come on, you've done it a thousand times. It's not like the first time you're doing it." The kwami says annoyingly. When Adrien stays idol he starts again.

"Kid, hold her hand! What's so different this time?" He says with an impatient tone that clearly says he's by far annoyed.

 _Difference_.

The word echoes through my mind. That's easy to answer. He's held hands with Ladybug - yes. The difference will be that this time, he will be holding it with plain old Marinette Dupain-chain; the clumsy girl behind the confident mask. My heart feels like it's being taken apart, layer by layer. I feel like I'm under water, surrounded by darkness as it engulfs me completely.

Tikki's glow suddenly begins to fade.

"no, no, no, no! Now look what you've done! You've made her upset!" The kwami spat, furious towards Adrien. Then, he turns to me.

"Hey, I need you to be happy. Please, can you go back to being happy? I- I don't want to lose Tikki again so please, go back to being happy. You can be sad however long you want afterwards." He says eagerly.

I feel like I'm sinking, down, down , down. "You can help her?" I ask, in a hushed voice.

"Yes. But I need you to be happy for this to work." He says while floating back down to Tikki.

Happy? How can I be happy when my kwami is in such brutal shape? How can I be happy when Adrien can't even bare to look at me? How can I be happy, when I feel so cold inside?

My thoughts come to an end when I feel warmth trickling its way through my veins and shooting up to my cheeks, painting them rouge as I feel Adrien's hand on mine.

"Marinette." He says my name gently, giving each syllable its own kind of value. I'm taken aback by the way my name rolls off his tongue, like it _means_ something to him. I feel heat rising in my cheeks and can hear my heart thudding in my ears as he intertwines his fingers with mine.

"It's going to be ok. Your kwami's gonna be ok." He says so assuredly that I believe him. I feel my cheeks burning up, my face is probably red. I _must_ be dreaming. I, Marinette Dupain-chain am sitting atop the Eiffel tower with Adrien Agreste, who's saying my name like it means something to him while he's holding my hand, tightening its grip as each second ticks by.

Yes, I'm _definitely_ dreaming. All this seems too unreal to be…real.

I guess I stay silent for too long because I feel Adrien squeeze my hand. I look up at him and he gives me a sheepish look and continues in a gentile but uneasy voice.

"Marinette…are-are you disappointed that it's me?"

I blink at him, as take in what he's talking about. Disappointed? How can I possibly be disappointed with Adrien Agreste when he's been nothing but...loyal, I guess is the right word, to me both as a friend and a team mate. When he's been nothing but kind, caring, and has always looked out for me and for everyone else.

I look down at our linked hands and say in the most honest tone "No."

"I'm not …disappointed, I'm actually…shocked…I guess, that...the boy that I love, and the partner that I adore and cherish are both the same person. And that today….I almost lost both."

I look up to see that his face has gone scarlet. I stop dead. did I just make Adrien Agreste blush? And not just some silly old school girl kind of blush, a full on red tomato-face kind of blush. I suddenly feel this spark tingle in my chest, a kind of feeling that I only get when I'm Ladybug – confidence.

It takes me a second to realize why he's blushing and my cheeks flush.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" I say tonelessly, completely frozen to the spot. This makes his blush grow a shade darker if that's even possible. Flustered, I turn my head to the side, feeling my own face starting to grow red.

" If there's anyone who should be disappointed it should be you. Didn't really expect me to be ladybug, did you." I say slowly, my heart thundering, racing like a stallion. As the silence stretched on, anticipation got the best of me, creating clouds of doubt in my head. Then, finally he began.

"I'd be lying if I said no." - I feel like pins and needles have just pierced my heart. Off course he was gonna say that. I feel a weight pressing down on me, until that is, he continues.

"The girl I had been searching for was right under my nose this entire time. What I can't believe is how big of an idiot I was, that couldn't even put two and two together. I mean who else is so kind, caring, confident and, well, beautiful?"

I look at him awestruck, not believing the words I'm hearing. Adrien Agreste thinks I'm kind, he thinks I'm caring. Adrien Agreste thinks I'm _confident_ and that I'm beautiful.

 _Now I know I'm dreaming._

"s-so…you're not disappointed?" I say softly.

He gives me a look and then smiles.

"Disappointed? Why would I be disappointed? I couldn't be happier. You're my ladybug. Marinette, the kindest girl I've meet with a heart of gold."

My heart skips a beat as I feel a smile spreading wide across my face. I feel myself melting away in the warm, Parisian breeze. I've never been happier. Then, suddenly, I see a glow of red light illuminating off my earrings and a glow of green radiating of off Adrien's ring.

"Oh yeah!" The kwami exclaimed, looking at his arms and feet, as he began to glow a bright shade of green and Tikki began to glow in a stunning shade of red. A blinding flash of white light exploded between the two kwamis and then, it was gone. Both the glow of my earrings and Adrien's ring faded away.

Tikki shot up and began to float off the ground in her usual, energized self.

"Plagg!" she squealed.

"Tikki!"

She giggled as she collected him up in a tight hug, squeezing him hard, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Oh Plagg, I knew you could do it! You pulled it off!" She exclaimed.

I look at Tikki, then at Plagg.

"What did you do?" I say confusingly. It's as if he boosted her like a battery.

"Same thing you did with pretty boy here." He says his voice filled with pride and arrogance. I blush at the use of his words. Tikki giggles, then zips up in front of me.

"Ok Marinette, just say the words." Even though she looks fine, I don't want to take any chances. I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to her.

"No Tikki, I'm not making the same mistake again. You've pushed yourself already. How about you rest for a while and then when you're fully charged, you can tell me to say the words, ok?"

She looks at me for a moment, her eyes sparkling like stars in the sunlight. She cuddles her head onto my check, giving me a hug.

"Oh Marinette, you're really kind." She says, her words heavy with sincerity.

"wow. See kid, some people actually care about what their kwami's feel before they transform." Plagg addresses Adrien in a stuck up voice.

"Hey, I care about you. It's just that you're too lazy to ever want to transform." Adrien says while giving him an insulted look.

Tikki laughs.

"Now what?" Adrien says reaching for my other hand.

"I guess we're stuck here." I let out.

"That doesn't sound all bad; after all you're here m'lady." He says pulling me close. I can't help but smile. As crazy as it sounds, for the next hour, I was stuck atop the Eiffel tower, sitting next to Adrien, as we both talked until our hearts content. Inching closer and closer to each other as the minutes passed by. By the time it was for us to part, I was practically sitting on top of him, his arm going around me, pulling me close, my left side pressed against his right.

With a sigh I peel away and look into his gaze with a smile. He helps me to my feet and I can't help but to collapse into his embrace. Warmth, that's what he is. He collects me up as I melt into his arms. I reel back as he skims his hands down my arms taking my hands into his, intertwining his fingers with mine. I take him in, in the basking sunlight, his well-built features, beautiful green eyes, and blonde hair. It falls differently when he's chat. I never really noticed, until now.

"I'm glad it was you, Marinette." He says softly.

And then, without thinking, I do something that I will _never_ regret, but didn't think I would be able to do in a million years. I lean in and kiss him softly on his right cheek. Not some small peck, a kiss, filled with meaning and depth.

* * *

 **But wait...there's more ;)**


	7. epilogue

**Epilogue**

 **For those of you wondering what happened after all this fluff…**

The days which came after this particular discovery were filled with difference, joy and unbelievable amounts of shock which kept me thinking if this was all just a dream. I found the confidence I was missing, after Adrien accepted me for who I was beneath the mask. My stuttering days were over which made Alya very suspicious. She kept pinning me down, trying to rattle my cage in hopes of find out the truth about why I had stopped being so clumsy and jittery whenever Adrien was around a radius of five feet.

But I had that covered, after she got her _promised_ interview with Ladybug, she became overwhelmed with questions from everyone she knew. People kept crowding around her, asking her how she helped save Chat noir, how Ladybug knew her because of the ladyblog. She was so consumed by the attention that she didn't have the time to dissect me.

Adrien and I became closer than ever. Two weeks later, he asked me if I was willing to be 'his lady'. I giggled at his cat-like gesture. "Aren't I already chaton?" I crooned

"Off course you are, as ladybug, but I was wondering if you'd also be mine when you're Marinette."

And just like that we were officially a couple. I still remember that day as me and Adrien walked into class, hand in hand. Alya was so proud of me. Chloe was furious but managed to keep it to herself. I gave her a look that could pierce through her soul that said 'back off, he's mine', and she did, surprisingly. Kim was overjoyed, this finally gave him the chance to ask her out. That day, Chloe managed to shock all of us as she accepted to go on a date with him, in a humane way. Alya couldn't stop smiling at us. At the end of class, she finally let it out.

"Oh girl I'm so happy for you! Guess me and Nino can finally go on a double date with you two."

And so we did – bowling.

But now, with fashion season around the corner, Adrien's schedule is gonna blow up. At least I'd be able to see him as Chat noir when Paris would need our help but our kwamis made it clear to us that when we had the masks on, we were no longer Marinette and Adrien, but were Ladybug and Chat noir. Off course, this didn't stop chat from continuously flirting, even more than before, now that we were a couple, well, in our civilian selves that is.

"See, you and me we were meant to be." He sang.

I roll my eyes. "Off course." I say with a smile. The beeping of my earrings tell me it's time to split. Usually, I'd be annoyed; wanting to spend a couple more minutes with him but today it didn't bother me as much because the cat himself was coming over to my place.

"See you soon chaton."

I pull out my yo-yo and zip away, soaring above the ground, swinging from roof top to roof top, as I finally came atop my own. I jump down into my balcony and de-transform. I go into my room and set up a nice big purple pillow on the table for Tikki and Plagg. Then I begin to set up my laptop and place it on my bed, feeding it a CD. Today's gonna be different, no games today. Today is gonna be movie day. This is practically the last time he will be able to come over before his fashion gig. I have just finished setting up when I hear someone enter my room.

"Hey, princess."

I turn around to find Adrien standing in front of the floor door, wearing a grey and black t-shirt with blue jeans, Plagg floating next to him. Immediately Tikki zips over and hugs Plagg, overjoyed to see him as usual. But I wouldn't know anything about the immense amount of happiness she feels around Plagg, how can I when I haven't been separated from someone who is literally my other half for decades.

"Plagg!" she chirps.

He groans just a little but doesn't seem to mind the hug. "I missed you too, Tikki." He says tonelessly. They both Zip away to the spot I have set up for them to play in. I run over to Adrien and collapse into his loving arms. He holds me tight before letting me lose. I reel back and look into his beautiful green eyes.

"Instead of gaming, I thought it would be fun if we watched a movie."

His face lights up. "And I'm betting you've never watched it either. It's called Mulan."

"No, I don't think I've watched that one."

"purrfect." I croon.

He leans in close, his face inches from mine, his classic Cheshire smile across his face, "Was that I pun I just heard?"

I smile, rolling my eyes and lead him to my bed. We both get comfy and are about to start the film when –

"Adrien, I'm hungry." Plagg pipped.

Adrien looks at his kwami with annoyance.

"No plagg, you just ate."

"That was before I fell asleep."

"It's still a no." Plagg gives him a dirty look.

"Marinette, can I have some cheese?"

I get up from my spot, and walk over to Plagg before Adrien becomes really annoyed. I don't understand; the poor little thing just wants some cheese. Tikki's eating cookies so I get why he wants food.

" How about _I_ get you some cheese? What kind would you like?"

"NO Marinette, he's just bluffing, he's not hungry."

"Adrien." I warn him. He opens his mouth, and then closes it, pouting at his kwami while shooting daggers his way.

Plagg blinks at me. "You have different kinds of cheese?" I laugh.

"You're looking at the daughter of a baker, so yes; off course I have different kinds of cheese. Now what would you like – besides camembert. I have mozzarella, blue cheese, parmesan, cheddar, regular cheese and others too. Or you know what, I think I'll get one of each!"

"No! You're gonna spoil him."

Adrien comments from the back, I turn around and give him a warning look. He sighs, knowing how stubborn I am that I won't listen to him no matter how hard he tries.

"I'll be right back."

And with that I turn on my heel and head down stairs, down the hallway, across the living room and into the kitchen. I begin to plate out some cheese, one of every kind, on a paper plate with colorful swirls of red and yellow. I place the plate on the counter top and pull out the mini cheese cake I finished baking this morning, before the akuma attack. I place that on the counter as well. I squat down and rummage around the counter's bottom cupboards for a box to put the cake in. I finally find a plain one with the bakery's logo on it. I'm about to pick up the cake when all of a sudden I hear my mom call my name.

"Marinette, is that your cake?"

Startled, i almost drop the box. I look up to see my mom in the door way. What is she doing here? I love my parents but sometimes they can be really nosey.

"Yes, it is."

"Oh, ok." She comes into the kitchen and pulls out a whisk and a spatula from the drawers.

"Are you taking it up to your room?"

"Um, yes."

"ok." She says and I can hear the smile on her words.

She looks around the kitchen top cupboards; I can hear the clanking of dishes as she does.

"So you did make it for Adrien after all."

What I want to say is no mom I actually made it for his kwami along with mine, but I can't say that so I just let out a simple "yes."

I'm about to leave, when she comes in front of me, blocking my way. She looks down at the plate, tilting her head to one side.

"Cake, with that much cheese?"

I internally panic. "I uh, might get…peckish?" I say quickly before side stepping her and running towards the stairs. I hear my papa call her name so I don't think she'll follow me. As I make my way up the stairs, careful not to tip over the cheese, I can hear muffled voices shouting back and forth. Oh boy, not again.

I creak open the floor door and hear Adrien shout.

"I don't bring you hear so you can annoy Marinette."

"I'm not annoying anyone; I don't see why you hate it so much. You're just mad cuz she actually cares for me."

"Calm down." Tikki says.

"Cares for you? You're just taking advantages of her. You ate a whole plate of camembert before you came here."

"Yes and half of that was wasted when I fell asleep"

"You know what Plagg, next time I'm not bringing you."

"No!" Tikki pleaded.

Ok. I better get up there before this small argument turns my room into a war zone.

"What's all the commotion about?" I say while coming in. Immediately everyone freezes. I walk over to the table and set down the plate of cheese. Adrien gawks at me, at the amount of cheese I've managed to fit into that plate. Plagg on the other hand gapes at it in wonder, whiskers curling on the ends.

"Here you are Plagg, but, before you dig in, I made something for you. – Pull out the cake – I know how much Tikki loves cookies and sweets and how you adore cheese, so I thought, why not put the two together. It's called cheese cake, it's really good. Now you can eat something you _both_ can enjoy " he blinks at the cake, then at me, dumbfounded.

"y-you made this…for me?" I nod. A smile slowly spreads across his face. He sits there staring up at me, twinkle, in his eyes.

"A thankyou would be nice Plagg." Adrien chimes in. I giggle, cutting the cake into fours, A big slice for each of us. I set a slice in front of Plagg and bent down and peck him on the head, his ears shoot up. "Your welcome." I say softly before making my way back to my bed.

I plop down on my bed next to Adrien, fitting myself beside him, Snuggling up, and placing my head onto his shoulder. His arm goes around me and he pulls me closer. He leans in and kisses my temple, my check, jawline, and skims his way down to my neck and nuzzles his head at its base, his hair tickling me.

He pulls back and gazes into my eyes. "I think you broke my kwami."

I turn my head to see that Plagg is still sitting in the same place motion less, gazing up into the air where I stood.

I laugh and begin the movie.

"You're amazing you know that?" He says gently. I smile and look into his eyes. Eyes I can easily get lost in.

He leans in and softly locks his lips with mine, kissing me gently but with depth and meaning. I gasp for air as he slowly breaks away. My lips tingle, I've never been kissed like that. It felt sweet, like candy but at the same time was filled with affection, a desire for more.

He leans in again, but I put my index, middle, and ring finger to his lips stopping him before he can get to what he wants. As much as I love him, I know that one kiss will lead to another and time will fly by and we won't get the chance to enjoy the movie… again.

"Control yourself kitty and behave. We're watching a movie" I breathe

He smirks with his Cheshire grin and pulls down my wrist to peel away my fingers. He presses his lips to mine, one last time and whispers "I love you Marinette." Before turning his attention back to the movie.

It is within moments like these, in which I can just melt away, that I find myself wrapping my head around that fact that, none of this would have happened if it weren't for that stupid glowing akuma.

* * *

 **And that finally brings us to the end of our toasted flakes. I hope you enjoyed reading this fic, I know I loved writing it! If you would like me to start other fics and would like to suggest writing prompts, leave them in the comments! Take care 3**


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